Abstract

School dropout has both individual and economic implications. Current statistics reveal higher dropout rates among boys. Schools have a unique position to address youth development. Research from the US on positive youth development shows positive relationships between developmental assets (e.g. support at school) and academic achievement. The present paper examined these relationships among 591 Norwegian high school students (55% girls), aged 15-19 (mean = 16.70) with data from a cross-sectional study. Results indicated that girls reported more assets than boys did. Furthermore, while positive correlations occurred among assets and academic achievement, some assets (i.e. commitment to learning, support and positive identity) were better predictors of academic achievement in regression analysis. Schools can play a significant role in nurturing developmental assets that will promote academic achievement in both genders, as well as have implications for youth and consequently economic development.

Highlights

  • IntroductionIn contrast to prevention science that focuses on negative developmental trajectories and outcomes, Positive Youth Development (PYD), a relatively new line of research and a developmental framework focuses on youth strengths and potentials for thriving in relation to developmental assets that are available in youth ecology (Benson, 2007; Bowers et al, 2011)

  • We address the role of developmental assets in youth contexts, such as the school, in academic achievement among high school students in Norway

  • In contrast to prevention science that focuses on negative developmental trajectories and outcomes, Positive Youth Development (PYD), a relatively new line of research and a developmental framework focuses on youth strengths and potentials for thriving in relation to developmental assets that are available in youth ecology (Benson, 2007; Bowers et al, 2011)

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Summary

Introduction

In contrast to prevention science that focuses on negative developmental trajectories and outcomes, Positive Youth Development (PYD), a relatively new line of research and a developmental framework focuses on youth strengths and potentials for thriving in relation to developmental assets that are available in youth ecology (Benson, 2007; Bowers et al, 2011). Both perspectives overlap to some extent, notably that youth development involves an interaction between the individual and his or her context. PYD proposes that the individual-context interaction have implications for youth outcomes, such as academic achievement

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